MELTZER'S MUSINGS: MAY 23, 2015
* The round-robin portion of the Memorial Cup opened on Friday night with the tournament host Quebec Remparts defeating the WHL champion Kelowna Rockets by a 4-3 count in regulation. The QMJHL champion Rimouski Oceanic, featuring Flyers 2013 first-round pick Samuel Morin, take on the OHL champion Oshawa Generals today. Game time is 4:00 p.m. EDT.
* One of the more interesting sleeper candidates for the middle round of the 2015 NHL Draft is Quebec Remparts forward Dmytro "Dima" Timashov, a Ukrainian-born winger raised and trained in Sweden. He's small and somewhat one-dimensional but is a fun player to watch, with tremendous speed and creativity. Timashov, who appeared in three SHL games last season for Modo, racked up 90 points (19 goals, 71 assists) for the Remparts this season in 66 games during the regular season. He was quieter when the checking got a little tighter in the QMJHL playoffs but still managed 18 points (three goals, 15 assists) in 22 games. He did not record a point against Kelowna in the Memorial Cup opener.
* The Flyers currently have 10 picks in the 2015 NHL Draft, including four in the top 70 and seven in the top 99. Additionally they will get to select at least once in every round:
1st round - Flyers (7th overall), Tampa Bay (TBD, Braydon Coburn trade) 2nd round - Chicago (TBD, Kimmo Timonen trade) 3rd round - San Jose (70th overall, Tye McGinn trade), Tampa Bay (TBD, Coburn trade) 4th round - Flyers (98th overall), Columbus (99th overall, Scott Hartnell trade) 5th round - Flyers (128th overall) 6th round - Flyers (158th overall) 7th round - Flyers (188th overall)
* The Tampa Bay first-round pick will fall anywhere from the 27th to 30th overall pick of the draft. If the Lightning defeat the New York Rangers to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, it will be either the 29th or 30th pick. If the Bolts lose to the Blueshirts (the series is currently tied at two games apiece), the Flyers will get the 27th overall pick if Chicago wins its Western Conference Final series with Anaheim and 28th if the Ducks beat the Blackhawks. Anaheim currently leads the series, two games to one. Game Four is on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. EDT.
* Although he has received very sparing ice time throughout the playoffs and has struggled at times even in his limited role, Kimmo Timonen has dressed in every playoff game for the Blackhawks. As such, the conditions have already been met for the Flyers to receive a 2016 second-round pick on top of the locked-in 2015 second-round pick if the Blackhawks go on to beat Anaheim in the Western Conference Final. If the Hawks lose the series, the 2016 draft pick will be a third-round selection.
* Today marks the 20th anniversary of an iconic match Flyers history: The war of a Game Four between the Flyers and Rangers at Madison Square Garden in the 1997 Eastern Conference Finals. The winning goal -- a backhanded power play goal by Eric Lindros with just 6.8 seconds left on the third period clock -- became one of the most memorable moments of his career. For other notable games and events in Flyers History, visit the Flyers Alumni official website.
FLYERS ALUMNI FANTASY HOCKEY CAMP
The Flyers Alumni will host a fantasy hockey camp from August 21-24 in Atlantic City, open to anyone age 21 and older. Instructors and Alumni participants will include Bernie Parent, Brian Propp, Ian Laperriere, Todd Fedoruk, Andre "Moose" Dupont, Dave "the Hammer" Schultz, Joe Watson and Bob "the Hound" Kelly.
The registration deadline is June 1. Participation costs $3,000 apiece but it is free to register a spot online. Over on the Flyers' Alumni website, there is more information on camp-related activities and on-ice schedules.